Jensen PLUS strengthens urban design team with senior appointment
This week Jensen PLUS was delighted to welcome Karina Sunk who has joined our team in the new role of Principal Urban Designer / Studio Lead. Welcome Karina!
Karina took some time to share some stories about her career, her role at Jensen PLUS, and what she hopes to achieve for our clients around Australia.
What was your very first job in urban design, and what was it like?
My first role was with the Ministry for Planning in Western Australia working in the dynamic Urban Design and Major Places Unit.
This was an exciting time for me working under the wings of Malcolm and Munira Mackay. The head designers taught me all the principles of good urban design and how to facilitate Enquiry by Design Workshops with stakeholders and the local community. This included Town Centre revitalisation projects; rail station upgrades and new structure planning areas. The team was also involved in refreshing the Liveable Neighbourhoods Community Design Code which governed the design and delivery of walkable mixed-use neighbourhoods. It was a dynamic time to be involved in the design and planning for the growth of Perth.
Adelaide helped pioneer many Australian urban design trends (e.g. the 1980s-2000s master-planned community approach in residential urban design, like West Lakes, Mawson Lakes and others). Where do you see the biggest opportunities for urban design to shape Australian cities in the next 10 years?
The master-planned community approach of the 80s, 90s and 2000s in Adelaide set the benchmark for well planned, beautifully landscaped residential neighbourhoods and these neighbourhoods still hold their value and appeal today. The investment in the community facilities, lot diversity and landscape has stood the test of time.
The biggest opportunities in the next 10 years I believe is in urban design engaging further in the development of housing types and mixed-use typologies with architects, builders, and developers to create more compact neighbourhoods with affordable housing types.
Unfortunately, not only here in Adelaide but across Australia, housing prices are out of reach for many, particularly the younger generation. We need to critically look at the way we plan, design, and build our housing to consider more compact types and to overcome the financial burden of continued suburban sprawl.
Looking back over your career, what are the top three projects you’ve worked on, and why do they stand out for you?
Googong New Town, NSW – This was one of my biggest projects in my early years as a young consultant, a great site at over 700 hectares, great client working with a fantastic multidisciplinary team. We spent many a time in design workshops, often out on site working out of the shearing shed. Not only was the site fantastic to work on, with gentle topography and natural views, but the team was very cohesive and enterprising.
Merrifield, VIC – This was another large master planned community project with a visionary client, great team. The project brings real large-scale employment uses together with a resident workforce population and this is being delivered on the ground today, as per the vision. We worked hand in glove with the client and consultant team to develop the truly mixed-use vision. I remember rolling out the big A0 plans with the client in front of State Government ultimately leading to the case for the inclusion of the landholding within the Urban Growth Boundary.
Brompton Neighbourhood, VIC – This was another stand out project for me while working developer side wearing both urban designer hat and building designer hat. It was a real end to end experience for me from the undertaking of the PSP preparation right through to urban design layout, building design with inhouse design team and town planning applications and building rules consent. So, for me it was the perfect synergy of the master plan being intrinsically linked to the housing delivery.
What will your role at Jensen PLUS involve, and what are you most excited to be working on as you settle in?
As a Principal Urban Designer, I am looking forward to leading the studio team and working alongside Michael McKeown who is a highly regarded urban design expert not only here in Adelaide but across Australia. I hope to provide the team with design support and to share my experience from working in the corporate and private sector with the team.
I love telling and sharing stories about how these projects came about and the personalities behind them. I’m excited to learn about how the Jensen PLUS team approaches their collaborative design and planning work. My role will be to build the private sector client base and projects in order to complement their existing exciting projects.
Urban design is inherently collaborative and multi-disciplinary, and Jensen PLUS places a strong emphasis on this - what’s your secret to successful teamwork?
I think my secret to teamwork is to get to know people somewhat on a personal level, to understand what makes them tick and what gets them excited to come to work every day. If you can relate personally with someone whether it is a team member, client or stakeholder, the conversations are easy flowing, and one can develop a level of professional trust.
I believe collaboration requires good communication, empathy, and trust in order to facilitate good outcomes.
Outside of work, you’re passionate about motorbikes - how did that interest begin?
Oh, the motorbikes! The addiction to bikes started at the age of 18. I was spending a fortune driving and bussing it to Adelaide University. So, for my 18th birthday I bought a tiny 200cc motorcycle and the rest is history.
These days I stay off the road, and race both in historic competition on my 125cc grand prix bikes and on the 300cc SuperSport in club racing. Last year I won the State 125cc Historic Racing Class, which means I can slow down a bit this year and focus on my new role with the Jensen PLUS team.
